College advice for a future NP?

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I've still got quite a ways to go in my nursing education... in fact, I'm still a senior in high school! However, I do have a bit of a dilemma- I want to be a Nurse Practitioner, but my dream college (a school where attendance has been a family tradition for generations) doesn't have a nursing program. At best, they have a pre-health professions program. I'm in the process of applying to colleges, and I just don't know what to do. Is the option of going into a direct-entry MSN after undergrad plausible? Or should I just let it go and only apply to schools that offer a BSN, even if I wouldn't be as interested in the school itself? Any experience or advice would be greatly appreciated!

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Specializes in NICU.

Yes, you can do a direct entry MSN, but you still have to complete nursing school in order to get your RN license, which is usually at least 18 months doing an accelerated program (I think some do it in 1 year), and then you have to do your MSN, most programs are 2 years. Many schools are also getting rid of their MSN programs in favor of a DNP, which would mean 3 years of school post-RN license.

I guess the question should be: Do you want to go to this school badly enough that you are willing to put your life on hold for an extra 1-2 years doing extra schooling? Not to mention- how are you going to pay for it? It's more $$ too. You can read about the crushing student loan debt that many millenials are facing on just their undergraduate degree, not to mention any other degrees that they accumulate. This may not fit you if you are able to get scholarships or if your parents will pay for it all, but if not, it's something important to consider. Federal student loans are not bankruptable.

I have an 18 year old sister myself and I would tell her to forget any family tradition- and to look out for herself. It's your future: why are you letting your family dictate your dreams?

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Kudos to you for thinking about all of your options in highschool! I'm a New Graduate NP. I would personally steer clear of any school that doesn't have a College of Nursing. Two good reasons for this:

1.) Nursing school is now very competitive. Some Nursing admissions have a point system where internal applicants get more points than external candidates.

2.) You won't have to worry about whether or not your pre-reqs will transfer over, if you stay at the same school.

I really don't know much about Direct-Entry Schools other then most require you to take a break after you get your RN and work for a year or so. I would speak to the College of Nursing Adviser on that. Actually, whatever you decide I would make sure to speak to a College of Nursing Adviser. They will know what admissions are looking for. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

As a high school senior going to a legacy school my advice is to set your sights on medical school.

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As a high school senior going to a legacy school my advice is to set your sights on medical school.

Ugh. Why? Most docs these days (at least the female ones for sure) will tell you they wish they had not gone the MD route and they note specifically that their NP and PA colleagues have a MUCH better work/life balance. As someone who watched a family member go through medical school and the ten years of his life that he gave up and the debt he accrued...I can't imagine advising anyone to go to med school.

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Specializes in PICU.

I don't recommend a direct entry program unless you have enough health care experience to know exactly what kind of NP you want to be. There are a lot of different specialties and even by the end of nursing school, you likely won't know which specialty you like best. NP school is too much work to do and then find out you should have specialized in another area. There are 12-15 month accelerated BSN programs. I did a 15 month one and without healthcare experience, I think that's the fastest you'd want to go. The people I know who have done the 12 month programs had a background like dietician working in a hospital, physical therapist, etc. It's hard to learn that much content in 12 months when it's all new. So, I agree with the other posters who said to go to a school with a BSN program and do the traditional 4 year degree. It will be less money for tuition and give you a better opportunity to learn the content.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

If you are absolutely completely 100% sure that you want to be a Nurse Practitioner then I would say that it wouldn't make much sense for you to accrue a ton of debt going to a school for a non-nursing major.

Then again, depending upon what you do major in, many of those credits might transfer. I took a lot of bio courses with my undergrad psych major that ended up transferring to my undergrad RN program.

If, however, you're open to the possibility of other professions and want to see what college can show you in terms of different subjects and experiences, then go to your legacy school.

On an unrelated note, I have seriously wanted to go back to my BA school, which is prominent and well-known and excellent, and set up a nursing school. It unnerves me that they don't have one.

In any event, plenty of people leave high school knowing what they want to be when they grow up. Some continue on the path they set for themselves when they were quite young. But many others change their minds. I think I would suggest you research all of your possible options for how to become a NP and then let your findings influence your decision. Best of luck.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

I would not go to the "dream college" if you are absolutely sure you want to go into nursing. It's hard to decide between family tradition and what you want to do, but if your goal truly is to be an NP, going there will not help you whatsoever. There are direct entry programs, but why spend your time getting a degree at said college and racking up debt and wasted time?

If it were my choice, I would go to a BSN program, work at least a few years as an RN so I could decide which field I wanted to specialize in, and then go to NP school.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.
Ugh. Why? Most docs these days (at least the female ones for sure) will tell you they wish they had not gone the MD route and they note specifically that their NP and PA colleagues have a MUCH better work/life balance. As someone who watched a family member go through medical school and the ten years of his life that he gave up and the debt he accrued...I can't imagine advising anyone to go to med school.

Because she's young and hasn't been lured away by the sweet tastes of life. She can still date, live life, have a boyfriend, husband, children, and everything else in medical school. There would be sacrifice, obviously, but in the end she'll won't have to put up with the political garbage that comes with being a nurse practitioner, she'll be at the apex of her field, she'll make more money, and if she follows her pursuits wisely she can minimize her med school debt load. With a choice residency then the sky is the limit. Some are more resident-friendly than others. Some specialties are more lucrative than others. Some are better lifestyle choices than others.

Psychiatry is a friendly residency, and the psychiatrist in my company scheduling 40 patients every day in his clinic is making money handover fist. Forget gas and derm, this guy is making a killing with standard office hours.

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